UM hits all-time enrollment record of 13,961

UM set another enrollment record with a total of 13,961 students on campus for fall semester 2006, an increase of 359 over last year’s headcount of 13,602.

In addition, full-time equivalents (FTE) increased slightly for a total of 11,716 this fall, compared to last fall’s 11,695. An FTE represents 15 undergraduate or 12 graduate semester credits.

Resident FTE increased from 8,606 a year ago to 8,644 this fall, while nonresident FTE were down slightly at the upper-division level because of smaller freshman classes the last two years. Graduate student enrollment was up slightly as well.

Undergraduates are carrying slightly lower credits loads, but they still remain above the 12-credit threshold for financial-aid eligibility.

UM President George Dennison said the numbers indicate that efforts over the last two years to stabilize and increase enrollments have had a positive effect.

“The slight but predictable decline among nonresident upper-division students reflects the smaller entering freshman classes during the last two years,” Dennison said. “Over the next few years, we will see that rise again because of the increase in the entering class.”

Dennison also noted that the credit loads of students appear to remain relatively low in part because of how the University handles online course registrations. Currently credits from those courses have never been counted toward FTEs. Including those credits would constitute an additional 274 FTE. Dennison plans to present a conceptual plan to the state Board of Regents this week to resolve that problem.

“Students are carrying heavier loads, with an increasing number of credits taken online,” Dennison said.

“In addition, we can take pride in the increased diversity of the entering freshman class of more Native American, black, Hispanic and Asian-American students with an academic profile somewhat better than the class of 2005 — an average high school GPA of 3.3 and ACT score of 23,” Dennison said. “Included within the class are 10 National Merit Finalists, 32 Presidential Scholars and 123 valedictorians.”